Improvement in flax-pullers



J. H. BENNETT.

Flax- Harvester.

No. 3,890. v Patented Jany 23,1845.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. H. BENNETT, OF fiENNINGTON, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLAX-PULLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3,890, dated January 2 1845.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES H. BENNETT, of Bennington, in the cotinty of Bennington. and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Instrument for Pulling Flax, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, viz:

. A handle or staff, A, carries on its lower extrelnity one or more fingers, B, in shape and form resembling the fingers-0t the common cradle used in many parts of the country for harvesting grain. The staff carries, also,on its back two clamps, to a, which serve as guides for the movable part,O, which must slide lreely in the clamps in the direction ofitslength. The movable part has also its fingers 1),similar and parallel to the first, and receives its motion from the crank-neb, E, either by means of a pin, 1), moving in a slot in the crank, or by a toggle-joint, as may be deemed most convenient. The fingers ot' the movable part should extend somewhat beyond the others and be united at their extremities; or the jaws may he made of solid pieces with grooves and ridges to correspond on their interior surfaces. In either case sufficient strength must be given to the parts to produce the desired effect, due regard being had to weight to avoid rendering it unwieldly.

Figure 1 represents the instrument open ready to work; and this is the. manner of using it: Seize the extremity of the handle with the left hand and the neb E with the right hand and swing it into the standing flax to a convenient distance. Then bring the-neb E to the position shown in Fig. 2 will thus be so brought together and interlocked asto bold theflax firmly between them. Then a sudden jerk ortwitch will tear the flax from the earth. Then, carrying the instrument with a motion similar to that used for depositing-grain from a cradle, and opening thejaws, the flaxmay be dropped on the ground, and

the operation recommenc ed. Fig. 3 repIe-.

sents t hestafl'or handle,with its fingers,clamps, and neb; Fig. 4, the movable part ofthe instrument disengaged from its counterpart.

Now, WhatI claim as myinvention, and dcsire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- The manner of grasping the standing flax, for the purpose of pulling it, between the tingers or jaws by means of the movable part slidingin the'clamps and receiving its motion in the direction of the handle from the cranlineb by means ofa slot and pin or togglejoint, as above set forth and described.

East Bennington, January 4, 1845..

JAMES H. BENNETT.

Witnesses E. N. BENNETT, J. DOOLITTLE;

The fingers orjaws 

